Pole top switch with multi-position control arm



Dec. 7, 1965 J. G. PAHL 3,222,470

POLE TOP SWITCH WITH MULTI-POSITION CONTROL ARM Filed April 20, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Job): G. Pabl Wfim Dec. 7, 1965 J PAHL 3,222,470

POLE TOP SWITCH WITH MULTI-POSITION CONTROL ARM Filed April 20, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,222,470 POLE TOP SWITCH WITH MULTI-POSITION CONTROL ARM John G. Pahl, P.0. Box 1257, Stockton, Calif. Filed Apr. 20, 1964, Ser. No. 360,966 4 (Zlaims. (Cl. 200-48) This invention relates to pole top switches such as are mounted on line poles and interposed between two current-carrying cables extending from pole to pole; the instant invention representing improvements over the type of switch shown in my copending application Serial No. 241,716, filed December 3, 1962 now Patent No. 3,144,- 526.

A switch of such type includes a control arm swingable in a vertical plane in one direction or the other to open or close said switch. When the switch is mounted directly on one side of the pole, such control arm occupies a predetermined angular position spaced outwardly from but overlying a face of the pole intermediate said one side and the opposite side thereof. In such position the control arm is connected to and actuated by a push-pull rod extending along the pole adjacent said face thereof.

Heretofore, the control arm was non-adjustably fixed with the switch part from which said arm projects and, consequently, it the switch was mounted on the opposite side of the pole, the control arm undesirably assumed a reversed angular position relative to said face of the pole.

It is, therefore, the major object of the present invention to provide a pole top switch wherein the relatively movable parts thereof, including the control arm, are constructed and mounted in a manner such that they may be set to properly orient the switch to the pole, and to dispose the control arm in the desired angular position outwardly of a given face of the pole, whether the switch be mounted on one side or the other of the pole. Thus, the switch-without reconstruction or remodeling-can be readily and satisfactorily employed on either side of the pole.

Also, the feature is of advantage when one or more switches are mounted on each of the opposite sides of the pole; this for the reason that all of the control arms can be set to corresponding angular positions outwardly of the same face of the pole and for connection in common to a single push-pull rod.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pole top switch which is designed for ease and economy of manufacture.

A further object of the invention is to provide a practical, reliable, and durable pole top switch and one which is exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a pole-mounted switch embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic end elevation of the switch as mounted on one side of a pole.

FIG. 4 is a similar view but shows the switch as mounted on the opposite side of the pole.

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic end elevation of the switch as mounted on the cross arm of a pole.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings and to the characters of reference marked thereon, the switch is indicated generally at 1 and is adapted to be interposed, in circuit, between line cables 2 and 3.

When pole-mounted, as in FIGS. 1-4, inclusive, the switch 1 is supported on an angle bracket 4 secured on and projecting from one side of the pole 5.

The switch 1 comprises horizontal bracket plates 6 adapted to be rigidly secured atop the bracket 4 and having spaced upstanding ears 7 each extending at a right angle to a plane radially of the pole orin other wordssubstantially parallel to the longitudinal plane of cables 2 and 3.

The spaced ears 7 support a pin 8 which spans therebetween, and swingable on said pin is a yoke 9 which includes a cross plate 10 at its end, beyond the ears 7, corresponding to and facing the cable 2.

At its opposite end, and beyond the ears 7 in the other direction, the yoke 9 is formed with a disc 11 which abuts another disc 12 rigid with the adjacent end of an insulator unit 13; the discs 11 and 12 being detachably secured together by a plurality of evenly spaced bolts or cap screws 14.

Rigid with the insulator unit 13 is an arm 15; the portion of the arm adjacent the insulator unit extending radially of the insulator unit, while the outer portion of said arm is turned to provide a substantially horizontal extension 16 disposed outwardly of but substantially parallel to said insulator unit 13.

Adjacent its outer end, the arm extension 16 is provided with a laterally projecting female switch member 17 of clip form; said female switch member being rotatably adjustably secured on said extension, and electrically connected to cable 3 in the manner shown.

The axial shank 18 of another and opposed insulator unit 19 turnably projects through the cross plate 10 and swivelly engages about the pin 8 so that said shank 18 can rotate through a certain are or part circle without restriction. At its outer end and beyond cross plate 10, the shank 18 is formed with a disc 20 detachably secured to a similar matching disc '21 on the adjacent end of the insulator unit 19 by a plurality of evenly circumferentially spaced bolts or cap screws 22.

A switch arm 23, of substantially the same configuration as the arm 15 but disposed in opposed relation thereto, projects from the outer end of the insulator unit 19; said switch arm 23 including a horizontal extension 24 terminating adjacent the outer end of extension 16. The extension 24 supports a projecting male switch blade 25 positioned to engage with the switch member 17 when the arm 23 is swung-with the shank 18 as an axisthrough a certain are from a predetermined switch opening position to a predetermined switch closing position. The switch blade 25 is electrically connected to the cable 2 in the manner shown.

The switch arm 23 is swung from one such position to the other-from adjacent the groundby the following means:

The matching discs 20 and 21, which are initially separated from each other with the bolts 22 withdrawn therefrom, receive a similar intermediate disc 26 therebetween; said disc 26 being drilled with holes in matching relation to those in the discs 20 and 21. The bolts 22 thus serve to not only secure discs 20 and 21 together, but also to fix the disc 26 therebetween in a selected rotative position.

A control arm 27 projects radially from the disc 26 and the latter is set so that such arm normally (i.e. when the switch is closed) extends at an upward and inward incline as shown in FIG. 2; said arm 27 being spaced from but overlying a given face of the pole 5. The arm 27 is connected at its outer end to a push-pull rod 28 which depends along such face of the pole and to a termination adjacent the ground for operation; said arm 27 being formed intermediate its ends with a lateral offset-as 3 shown in FIG. 1so that such arm and the rod 28 will positively clear the pole.

With the above arrangement, it is possible to mount the switch on one side or the other of pole 5, yet with the arms 15 and 23 facing in the same direction along the line and with the control arm 27 overlying the same face of said pole and in proper angular relation for connection with push-pull rod 23.

More particularly, if it is desired to mount the switch on a bracket 4 disposedas shown in FIG. 4on the side of the pole opposite that depicted in FIGS. 1 and 3, it is only necessary (with the insulator units 13 and 19 extending the same longitudinal directions as before) to disconnect the corresponding pairs of discs 11-12 and 2021 from each other. Thereafter, the corresponding arms 15 and 23 are swung through a ninety degree arc downwardly and upwardly respectively; i.e., from the position of FIG. 3 to the position of FIG. 4. The various disc securing bolts are then replaced to clamp the related discs together; the disc 26 being at the same time reset so that the control arm 27 again occupies a corresponding angular position and overlies the same face of the pole as before. It is, of course, also necessary to rotatably adjust the female switch member 17 on extension 16 in order to redispose said member in an upwardly facing position for engagement by the male switch blade 25, as indicated in FIG. 4.

As a result, the control arm 27 always extends in overlying relation to the same side of the pole 5, so that when a number of vertically spaced switch units are supported from the line pole, all such units may be activated by a single push-pull rod unit.

In addition to the advantage of being able to adapt the same switch for mounting on one side or the other of the pole, the present invention is of further importance in the following respect:

When a number of the switches are mounted on a pole, with one or more switches on each side thereof, the control arms 27 will all be disposed outwardly of the same face of the pole and at the proper angle for connection to, and simultaneous operation by, a single push-pull rod.

While hereinbefore described as pole-mounted as shown in FIGS. 1-4, inclusive, the switch may also be mounted on a pole supported cross arm as shown in FIG. 5 similar adjustment of the switch parts, including control arm 27, being made and dependent on which end portion of said cross arm is employed to serve the same purpose as angle bracket 4.

Thus, as the switch may be carried directly on the pole or on a cross arm or other similar member thereon, the word pole as used herein shall be deemed to include any such cross arm or member.

From the foregoing description, it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a switch as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the switch, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as

defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful and upon which Letters Patent is desired:

1. A mounting and control structure for a pole top switch which embodies cooperating switch elements, and separate switch arms rigid with the elements and including inner end portions facing and axially alined with each other; said structure comprising a support member adapted to be mounted in a fixed position in connection with a line pole, the end portion of one arm being fixed with the member, the end portion of the other arm being mounted on the member for rotation about the axis of such portion, means between the fixed end portion and the related arm for adjustably rotating the latter about the axis of the other end portion, means between such other end portion and the related arm for adjustably rotating the latter about the axis of said other end portion, a control arm projecting radially of said other end portion, and means mounting the control arm in connection with the last named means for adjustably rotating said control arm about the axis of and relative to said other end portion.

2. A structure, as in claim 1, in which the switch arms and the control arm are all arranged for adjustable rotation through a ninety degree arc.

3. A mounting and control structure for a pole top switch which embodies cooperating switch elements, and separate switch arms rigid with the elements and including inner end portions facing and axially alined with each other; said structure comprising a support member adapted to be mounted in a fixed position in connection with a line pole, the end portion of one arm being fixed with the member, the end portion of the other arm being mounted on the member for rotation about the axis of such portion, a pair of facing discs secured on and interposed between the fixed end portion and the related arm, means connecting the discs together for relative rotative adjustment, another pair of discs secured on and interposed between said other end portion and the related arm, a control arm projecting radially of said other end portion, a third disc rigid with the control arm and interposed between the last named pair of discs, and means securing said last named pair of discs and the central disc together in rotatably adjustable relation.

4. A structure, as in claim 3, in which the securing means for the different discs are all arranged for adjustable rotation of such discs through a ninety degree are.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,081,671 12/1913 Kalenborn et 'al 200-48 1,863,405 6/ 1932 Hoye 200-4-8 2,878,331 3/ 1959 Fjellstedt 200-48 KATHLEEN H. CLAFFY, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT K. SCHAEFER, Examiner. 

1. A MOUNTING AND CONTROL STRUCTURE FOR A POLE TOP SWITCH WHICH EMBODIES COOPERATING SWITCH ELEMENTS, AND SEPARATE SWITCH ARMS RIGID WITH THE ELEMENTS AND INCLUDING INNER END PORTIONS FACING AND AXIALLY ALINED WITH EACH OTHER; SAID STRUCTURE COMPRISING A SUPPORT MEMBER ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED IN A FIXED POSITION IN CONNECTION WITH A LINE POLE, THE END PORTION OF ONE ARM BEING FIXED WITH THE MEMBER, THE END PORTION OF THE OTHER ARM BEING MOUNTED ON THE MEMBER FOR ROTATION ABOUT THE AXIS OF SUCH PORTION, MEANS BETWEEN THE FIXED END PORTION AND THE RELATED ARM FOR ADJUSTABLY ROTATING THE LATTER ABOUT THE AXIS OF THE OTHER END PORTION, MEANS BETWEEN SUCH OTHER END PORTION AND THE RELATED ARM FOR ADJUSTABLY ROTATING THE LATTER ABOUT THE AXIS OF SAID OTHER END PORTION, A CONTROL ARM PROJECTING RADIALLY OF SAID OTHER END PORTION, AND MEANS MOUNTING THE CONTROL ARM IN CONNECTION WITH THE LAST NAMED MEANS FOR ADJUSTABLY ROTATING SAID CONTROL ARM ABOUT THE AXIS OF AND RELATIVE TO SAID OTHER END PORTION. 